Chapter 33: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

"Chapter 33: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ," Part Nine: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, ()

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Jesus Christ will come to earth again. What will be the signs of His coming, and how can we prepare to meet Him when He comes?

Jesus Promised He Would Come to Earth Again

Forty days after Jesus was resurrected, He and His Apostles met on a hill called the Mount of Olives. The time had come for Jesus to return to heaven. He had done all the things our Father in Heaven sent Him to do. His Apostles watched as Jesus went up into heaven. While the Apostles were watching, two angels came and told them Jesus would come back again to earth. From that time until now, those who have believed in Jesus have looked forward to His return. His return is called the Second Coming of Christ.

At the Second Coming, Jesus will come down from heaven with great power. He will cleanse the earth of all wickedness, and Satan will no longer have power over the people. Jesus will rule for a thousand years over all the people who have been faithful to Him.

Discussion

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How do we know that Jesus will return to earth again?

Jesus Has Told Us What Will Happen Before He Comes

Jesus has told us many things that will happen before He comes again. These things are called the signs of His Second Coming. He has told us to look for these signs and be ready for His coming. He said that when we see these things happening, we will know He is coming soon. But we will not know the exact time of His coming.

If we study the scriptures and are faithful to Jesus, we will know what the signs of Jesus’ coming will be. Many things will happen before Jesus comes to earth again. Some have already happened, some are happening now, and the rest will happen in the future.

Before Jesus’ Second Coming, the gospel will be preached to all nations. This will make many people happy and bring them blessings. Other things that will happen will test our faith. There will be great wickedness, earthquakes, and other kinds of destruction.

There Will Be Great Trouble on the Earth

Jesus said we will know His coming is near when we see much wickedness, war, and suffering on the earth. This will be a time of great trouble. There will be earthquakes, great storms, disease, and famines. Hailstones will destroy the crops of the earth.

Many people will stop loving our Father in Heaven and will turn to Satan. They will also stop loving and serving other people and will begin to harm them. There will be many wars on the earth. Nations will fight each other. These wars will continue until a great and final war takes place, which will be the most destructive war ever fought on the earth. Then Jesus will come.

The Gospel Has Been Restored

The prophets said the gospel would be restored to earth before Jesus would come again. The gospel has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Every teaching of the gospel that is necessary for us to know and do so we can return to our Father in Heaven has been restored to the earth.

Jesus said we would know He was coming soon when the Book of Mormon had been published and given to the world. Long ago, the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel told about the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith into the English language. It has been translated since then into many languages. It will be given to all the nations of the world before Jesus comes.

The House of Israel Must Be Gathered Again

Our Father in Heaven said the descendants of the house of Israel* must hear and accept the gospel and prepare themselves to meet Jesus when He comes again. Those who accept the gospel must teach it to all people, build temples, and do the ordinances for the dead people.

Many people from the house of Israel, either by blood or by adoption, are being converted to the Church as they accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Land has been blessed for the gathering of many of the descendants of Abraham. The descendants of Abraham include the people known as Arabs and Jews, and others. The descendants of the Book of Mormon people in America, who also are descendants of Abraham, are accepting the gospel and are becoming a strong and righteous people.

The Gospel Will Be Preached to All the World

Jesus said we will know He is coming soon when His followers have preached the gospel to all the world. From the time when the Church was restored, missionaries have been sent to preach the gospel in different nations. Many missionaries are now preaching the gospel almost everywhere in the world. Every member of the Church is asked to tell his or her relatives and friends about the gospel, and many are going to other countries to preach the gospel, so that all people will have an opportunity to hear it.

Elijah Has Come

The prophet Malachi in the Bible said that before Jesus would come the second time, the prophet Elijah would visit the earth. He would bring back the authority to seal families together forever. He would cause people to want to learn about their ancestors and their descendants and help them be saved. In April 1836, Elijah came and restored this authority to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Because Elijah came, families can now be sealed together in temples on the earth today.

A New City of Jerusalem Will Be Built

Jesus said we will know He is coming soon when His Church has built a city called the New Jerusalem. Jesus said He will rule in that city, and righteous people will live there. He has told us where this city will be built. It will be in the state of Missouri, in the United States.

These are only a few of the signs that will show us that Jesus is coming soon. The scriptures tell us of other signs. Although many signs have already been seen, we do not know the exact time when Jesus will come again.

Discussion

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How do we know that Jesus’ Second Coming is near?

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What are the signs of Jesus’ Second Coming?

We Can Have Peace and Hope Even Though Wickedness and Trouble Surround Us

We should be prepared for Jesus’ Second Coming. The best way for us to prepare for His coming is to obey His teachings every day. We should also obey the commandments and instructions He gives to the President of the Church for us today. We should be worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times to guide our thoughts and actions. Jesus said that if we are ready when He comes, we will not be afraid. We will be happy and will want to be with Him. The good people will not be destroyed when He comes. They will live on the earth, and their children will grow up without sin. Jesus will be with them and will bless them and lead them.

When Jesus comes again from heaven, the wicked people will be destroyed. The good people who have died will rise from their graves and meet Him as He comes from heaven. The wicked will not rise from their graves until after a period of 1,000 years. This period of 1,000 years is known as the Millennium.*

When Jesus was living on the earth, very few people knew that He, the Savior of the world, had come. When Jesus comes again, everyone will know He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Discussion

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How can knowing the signs of the Second Coming help us?

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What will happen to the good people on the earth when Jesus returns?

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What will happen to the wicked people who will be living then on the earth?